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Hinkley returns home after year's deployment

Spokane, WA — USAF SMSgt. Winfield S. Hinkley Jr., son of Wink and Karen Hinkley of Grand Gorge, was recently deployed to an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. He is currently stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, WA after returning to that base after a yearlong deployment overseas.

Controlling every aspect of Supply Operations at his location, he ensured the base was well prepared for the next mission with aircraft spare parts, chemical warfare defense gear and all small arms weapons. The aircraft fly daily missions over Afghanistan to drop guided bombs and refuel every aircraft that the Air Force has with additional missions to refuel any and/all other services and multinational aircraft.

In command
Hinkley was in charge of over 320 rotational Airman in the management of Air Forces Central’s largest supply operations in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. During his daily duties he facilitated two supply accounts, including the Air Forces largest Centralized Repair Facility,

Sergeant Hinkley was instrumental in the processing of 1.3 million supply transactions ensuring 36,000 assets were received to support ten forward operating bases, allowing 52,200 combat and airlift sorties. He also guided the largest Expeditionary Theater Distribution Center’s issue of 75,800 pieces of protective gear and weapons while managing 1.1 million assets, ensuring the safety of 15,400 forward deployers.

As a Sr. Master Sergeant, he is also responsible for training, professional development, and morale of all personnel deployed from every Air Force base. The deployment to areas like this affects each and every one of the young men and women in the armed services.

Hinkley, a Roxbury Central School graduate, has been in the USAF since enlisting in 1992, recently earned his MBA degree from Webster University. He is married to DeeDee and they live in Medical Lake, Washington. They have four children – Abby 9, Makayla 6, Isabelle 4 and Noah who just recently turned one. Wink can be reached at winkhink@yahoo.com.